Saturday, March 12, 2011

Can Cervical Stenosis Occour Alongside Lumbar Stenosis

Stenosis simply means "narrowing of", specifically "Spinal Stenosis" is the narrowing of the middle spinal column, which runs vertically, holding the central nervous system inside it, providing protection to this vital sensory system. "Foreaminal Spinal Stenosis" is the narrowing of the horizontal openings in the spine, through which the peripheral nervous system branches out. In either case, spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal columns, which puts pressure on the nervous system and causes interference, which often results in pain.

Patients who suffer from cervical spondylititic myelopathy, complain of neck pain, unsteadiness on their feet, difficulty walking, numbness paresthesias, and a loss of dexterity in the upper extremities are common. Radicular symptoms can also be caused by coexisting compression of nerve roots in the cervical spine. Bladder control can also be an issue, but it is less prominent.

It can be common to have lumbar stenosis along with cervical spondylitic myleopathy, so there should be a careful evaluation of the patient to rule out the coexistence of both conditions.

At Living Well Medical, we have treated many cases of spinal stenosis, it is very important for long term quality of life for the patient that coexisting conditions be ruled out and an integrated, individualized treatment plan be implemented to speed recovery and cause minimal disruption to the patient's lifestyle and hobbies.